Le Moniteur de la Mode, 1885, No. 2224e, No. 39 : Costumes d'Enfants (...) 1885

This is plate 2224e, no. 39 from Le Moniteur de la Mode, a fashion magazine published in 1885. The composition balances a central cluster of figures against a subtly rendered natural backdrop. Predominant use of reds, blues and browns in the clothing is indicative of the period's colour palette. The anonymous artist manipulates lines and forms to create a scene that both reflects and constructs social meaning. The figures are meticulously detailed, and their arrangement implies a narrative about social class. The woman stands slightly above the children, not just spatially but also in terms of sartorial elegance. The lines of her dress are long and flowing. The linear patterns of the children's clothing add visual complexity, creating a sense of youthful exuberance that contrasts with the woman's composed stance. This plate thus doesn't merely depict fashion, it also subtly encodes social hierarchies and cultural values, allowing us to interpret the cultural codes embedded in late 19th-century French society.